Depression-Era Hamburger Stand Revealed During Building Renovation In Farmington

July 14, 2017 10:39 AM

FARMINGTON (WWJ) – A small bite of history has been uncovered in the city of Farmington.

According to some local historians, the sign revealed from beneath Moy’s Cafe, which is being converted to a Mexican restaurant on Grand River Avenue just south of Orchard Lake, used to be a Miller’s Hamburgers walk-up stand during the 1930s-era depression.

Tom Khalil, who owns the A&W drive-in restaurant across the street, doesn’t doubt the location has some history.

“This section of Farmington is pretty old. I wouldn’t be surprised,” Khalil told WWJ’s Mike Campbell. “It’s possible, because of the way the building is set up and then what was here — remember the old Grand River Drive-In Theater? It was here back for a while, so people would come here, hang out at the A&W. And then before the A&W, they would probably buy Miller’s Hamburgers.”

Rafael Barajas, who is working on the renovations, didn’t think much of what he uncovered after removing the side facades of the building. But then people kept stopping by and asking questions. Now, he doesn’t doubt the building used to be something special back in the day.

“Oh yeah, a lot of people they come here, you know, they park right here and they take pictures and they say they remember it was a place they could get a lot of hamburgers right here,” said Barajas. “So I say well, take some pictures, eh? Go ahead, take whatever you need.”